READ THE CITIZENS' VOICE

Digital Only Subscription
Read the digital e-Edition of The Citizens' Voice on your PC or mobile device, and have 24/7 access to breaking news, local sports, contests, and more at citizensvoice.com or on our mobile apps.

Digital Services
Have news alerts sent to your mobile device or email, read the e-Edition, sign up for daily newsletters, enter contests, take quizzes, download our mobile apps and see the latest e-circulars.

Contact Us
See department contacts, frequently asked questions, request customer service support, submit a photo or place an ad.

Article Tools

Voters in Newport Township will have to choose two Democrats from three commissioner candidates this primary election.

Incumbents John Zyla, 61, and John Vishnefski, 62, are defending their seats against John Grabowski in an election that comes on the heels of an ambulance flap over insurance reimbursements between the service in the township and another in Nanticoke and the township receiving a $500,000 grant to begin work on a new municipal building.

The incumbents say that, although it lacks major businesses for income, the township has been able to maintain a balanced budget while maintaining services like 24-hour fire protection, full-time police and garbage collection.

"Our biggest problem, we're looking at it every day - trying to get people to commit to the township is our infrastructure, because we're land rich and no big business," said Zyla, who was first elected commissioner in 1978. "I'm proud as we're going along that we're not in the red because we have no big business in the township now. Keeping everything going and not raising people's taxes, that's probably the proudest thing as a board."

Vishnefski, who has been a commissioner for about 10 years, said being able to begin work on the municipal building because of the grant is a "stepping stone" for the community.

"It's kind of like finally we can put something back into the township," he said.

Commissioners are still waiting to hear back from the ambulance companies on a potential resolution to the dispute with Nanticoke, and Vishnefski, a lifelong township resident, said he will be able to devote adequate time to the job if he's re-elected.

"Now in retirement I will have more time to spend with the other commissioners on making the township a better place to live," Vishnefski said.

Grabowski, a 47-year-old supervisor at Tru-Form in Wilkes-Barre, said he thinks honesty is the most important issue of the election. He noted that under his leadership as president of the Newport Township Recreation Board, the long-closed Coal Street park reopened with new equipment, there are more summer programs for children and the township's baseball fields are operating on a successful schedule.

"Raising a family in the Glen Lyon section of Newport Township drives me to make the township the best it can be for everyone," Grabowski said. "With this in mind I will be dedicated and hardworking for all the good of Newport Township."

jhalpin@citizensvoice.com, 570-821-2058

John Grabowski

Age: 47

Residence: Newport Township

Education: Greater Nanticoke Area High School

Employment: Tru-Form, Wilkes-Barre.

Experience: A supervisor position at Tru-Form has given me the experience of dealing with problems in a timely and cost-effective manner.

Family: Wife, Brenda Grabowski, and 10-year-old son, Jake.

John Vishnefski

Age: 62

Residence: Newport Township

Education: Greater Nanticoke Area High School, Class of 1970

Employment: Retired after 26 years in customer service at Pennsylvania American Water.

Experience: About 10 years as a Newport Township commissioner

Family: Wife, Diane; sons, John and Daniel

John Zyla

Age: 61

Residence: Newport Township

Education: Greater Nanticoke Area High School, Class of 1970; and one year at Northeasten Pennsylvania Technical Center

Employment: Utility plant operator for the Department of Corrections at SCI-Retreat.

Experience: Newport Township commissioner from 1978 to 1985; Greater Nanticoke Area School Board from 1985 to 1987; Sheatown committeeman from 1986 to 1993; Newport Township commissioner from 1993 to present; 35-year member of the Newport Township Lions Club.

We welcome user discussion on our site, under the following guidelines:

To comment you must first create a profile and sign-in with a verified DISQUS account or social network ID. Sign up here.

Comments in violation of the rules will be denied, and repeat violators will be banned. Please help police the community by flagging offensive comments for our moderators to review. By posting a comment, you agree to our full terms and conditions. Click here to read terms and conditions.